BZ editor Hildburg Bruns comments on the plans for social housing Photo: Ralf Günther / BZ assembly
From Hildburg Bruns
Fingers crossed that Parliament’s finance experts wave the issue of social housing through on Wednesday.
Yes, future new buildings will be more expensive. A subsidy of 1.5 billion euros is also to be made available for the 5,000 apartments each year.
But Berlin urgently needs affordable housing. And that also for average earners who cannot afford other new building rents of 20 euros.
Equally important is the new subsidy for builders. At the moment it’s not worth building for them at all. Just 66 social housing units were completed by private individuals in 2022.
The fact that Berliners with middle incomes will soon be able to get a WBS is also good for the mix in the neighborhood. About a third of the new social housing is reserved for the very poor.